By Natausha van Vliet, PACT’s CEO
A month ago, I had the privilege of attending a two-day retreat at the Downing Battcock Institute in Cambridge, focused on a critical national priority: building a “What Works” programme to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Convened by the Cabinet Office Evaluation Task Force and UK Research and Innovation, in collaboration with No.10, the retreat brought together a powerful mix of stakeholders – from government and funders to research organisations and specialist charities. The shared purpose was clear: to shape a national, coordinated approach that will underpin the Government’s ambition to halve violence against women and girls.
The Government’s VAWG strategy recognises a fundamental challenge: while the scale and impact of violence against women and girls is undeniable, our understanding of its true prevalence, its drivers, and the most effective interventions remains uneven.
The proposed What Works Programme seeks to address this head-on. By strengthening research and evaluation, and by identifying and scaling interventions that are proven to be effective, it aims to create a more robust and actionable evidence base. One that can drive real, measurable change.
One of the most striking themes from the retreat was the call to “move fast and fix things.” This reflects a welcome ambition to foster innovation – creating space to test new approaches, learn quickly from what works (and what doesn’t), and continuously improve how we respond to VAWG.
Crucially, this will not be achieved in silos. The programme is intended as a genuinely collaborative effort, bringing together public and philanthropic funders, government departments, frontline organisations, and evidence bodies. The goal is a more joined-up system – one that shares learning, builds collective insight, and accelerates progress.
I was proud that PACT was invited to contribute to this important conversation. I had the opportunity to share our experience of delivering a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) for our Bounce Back 4 Kids programme, in partnership with Foundations – What Works Centre for Children and Families.
There was significant interest in this work, given that RCTs are often seen as complex and difficult to deliver in practice, particularly for frontline organisations. Yet our experience demonstrates that, for some practice programmes, with the right partnerships and support, it is not only possible but immensely valuable. Embedding robust evaluation within service delivery helps us understand impact more clearly and ultimately ensures that the support we provide is as effective as it can be for the children and families who need it.
Being part of this VAWG retreat felt like an important moment. Not just for PACT, but for the wider sector. It offered a chance to help shape the direction of travel, to share learning from the frontline, and to build new relationships with key partners and funders.
There is now significant work underway to build on the connections made over those two days. As the national programme develops, it will be vital that the voices and insights of frontline organisations continue to inform its design and delivery.
PACT and our Bounce Back 4 Kids programme remain committed to playing an active role in this emerging programme. Contributing our experience, learning from others, and continuing to strengthen the evidence base for what works and to being part of the solution.
This is a complex and deeply challenging issue. But the level of commitment, collaboration, and ambition I saw at this retreat gives me real confidence that meaningful progress is possible, and I know PACT’s Bounce Back 4 Kids team are excited about the difference we can make together for children and families.
You can find out more about the Bounce Back 4 Kids programme and Randomised Control Trial here: bounce-back-4-kids-summary-report.pdf
You can find out more about the VAWG retreat here: Building a What Works Programme for tackling Violence Against Women and Girls | Downing College Cambridge
